New opinion poll puts BJP, Cong neck-and-neck in Gujarat

The latest survey conducted by Lokniti-CSDS-ABP News predicted a neck and neck race for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) in the upcoming Gujarat State assembly election 2017.

Each party is likely to garner 43 percent voter share. The opinion poll released on Monday showed the BJP may win 91-99 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, while the Congress would get seats in the range of 78-86.

The poll showed the BJP, which has been in power since 1995, as being able to retain Gujarat.

However, what may come as a big boost for the Congress is the fact that it has been able to considerably reduce the gap with the BJP from the last poll done by the same agencies in August and October.

The August poll suggested the BJP would get between 144-152 seats, whereas the Congress will get 26-32 seats.

Another poll in October suggested BJP could get 113-121 seats and Congress 58-64 seats.

Other News

China is preparing for a potential crisis with North Korea by increasing its defenses along their shared border, including establishing a new border brigade and building bunkers for civilians, the Wall Street Journal reported. [...]